Czech, Slovak firms cooperate on plant long-term operation

The main subject of the cooperation agreement - signed on 3 February - is the extensive exchange of experience and information concerning activities and projects, especially in the field of waste reduction in nuclear installations, and facility management and lifetime assessment. In practice, this should mean the exchange of technical and operational analyses and data, and, where appropriate, continue on specific projects.

"JAVYS is a company with which we have long-term cooperation within the JESS (Jadrová energetická spoločnosť Slovenska) joint venture, and which has extensive experience in waste treatment and projects for assessing the condition of important equipment in nuclear power plants," said Bohdan Zronek, Director of ČEZ's Nuclear Energy Division. "This builds on life management and ensuring long-term operation. Therefore, further strengthening of this cooperation is quite logical."

ČEZ is moving towards 60 years of operation of both the Dukovany and Temelín nuclear power plants.

"Assessing the state of technology is one of the most important issues that most nuclear operators currently address," said JAVYS CEO Pavol Štuller. "This is an absolutely necessary condition for the operation of the nuclear power plants on which their future is based. And given the plans of both countries, we are glad to further expand our cooperation."

The Czech Republic has six nuclear reactors generating about one-third of its electricity. Four VVER-440 units are at Dukovany, in Vysočina Region, and two VVER-1000 units are at Temelín, in South Bohemian Region.

Slovakia has four nuclear reactors - Mochovce units 1 and 2 and Bohunice units 3 and 4 - generating half of its electricity and two more under construction (Mochovce 3 and 4).